As Dictated By Toph
by K. East
Summary: As Dictated By Toph Bei Fong: A twelve year old girl remembers the crucial moments after the fall of a powerful lord and tyrant. [N]
1. Introduction

As Dictated By Toph

Introduction

They say I'm cynical, stubborn, hard-headed, sarcastic, sardonic, relentless, blunt, overly-honest…the list goes on.

All of that is right.

But I think people forget sometimes that I'm still twelve year-old Toph Bei Fong. I'm still a girl who needs friends and family. I'm still capable of being something other than confident and strong once in a while.

So this is life, as dictated by Toph.

A/N: Welcome to the world of Toph Bei Fong, twelve year-old blind girl, daughter of rich and famous Lao Bei Fong, Earth Rumble's champion The Blind Bandit, beginner/basic Earthbending student, master Earthbender, Metalbender, sifu to the Avatar himself, blah, blah, blah, the list goes on.

The fascinating thing about Zuko and Toph alike is they play so many roles. They change and develop over the course of the show…hence, why I love them so.


	2. The Current Circumstances

As Dictated By Toph

The Current Circumstances

First off, the war is over. It ended this summer after a long and dangerous battle.

The most important thing is that Ozai is dead. He is dead, and so is Azula. Zuko is on the throne. I like to call him something else, but I've the feeling he would burn this once he found out about it.

Zuko isn't the greatest Fire Lord ever, but he's a relief to the world which has suffered 100 years of fighting and hostility. Iroh is there to help him out. I couldn't think of a better person for the job.

On the other hand, Katara and Sokka – a.k.a. Sweetness and Snoozles – are living it up on their ice block. For awhile there I thought she and Moody Boy had something. But hey, even I can be wrong.

Sokka, he's kind of lost. I guess that's what happens when you fail to protect two of the people you love most. Sometimes life doesn't work out the way you plan it.

I'm back in my hometown, which actually is a little too laidback for me.

And, you ask, what about the Avatar?

Twinkle Toes has got the best of it all. He's traveling the world, doing his peace-keeping duties. Heck, some people don't even know the war's over. All a day in the life of my bald friend.

But before I get carried away with what's going on _now_, let me tell you what went on _then_.


	3. Free Eyes

As Dictated By Toph

Free Eyes

As Ozai lay dead, Zuko stared down at the charred body of his father. He fell to his knees, and as we looked on, shed a final pair of tears for his sire.

His perfectly symmetrical golden eyes turned toward us, and he kneeled in a humbling bow, touching his forehead to the ground. It was a funny sight, really; the detested Prince, son of the late Fire Lord Ozai, bowing down to a group of ragged, battle-weary children.

"I hail you, Avatar." Aang looked uncomfortable.

"We're past that, Zuko." He offered Zuko a hand, who took it and stood.

"Your eyes," said Katara solemnly, everyone glancing at her curiously, "they're free."


	4. Renewed Hearts

As Dictated By Toph

Renewed Hearts

"What will we do now?"

The question was blunt, but what could anyone do? My friend looked helplessly around the throne room, the flames dying, the curtain torn to shreds.

"We'll have to figure out a way to let the news spread. This is a very dangerous time for everyone," explained Snoozles. Katara fixed him with a helpless look.

"What do we _do_, though?"

"Let's start by…cleaning this place up."

We all did our share: Sokka clearing away the majority of the rubbish; Aang bending out things too heavy to move manually. I smoothed out the earth that had gotten considerably torn up during battle; Zuko tended to his father's body; Katara kept guard.

And for a minute after we had finished, the Water Tribe siblings stood together with their hands locked.

"We're going home," they said together.

And they smiled.


	5. Sometime Soon

As Dictated By Toph

Sometime Soon

"Where are you going to go after this?" I queried, glancing furtively at Twinkle Toes. He was my best friend, and I would miss him, wherever he was.

"Traveling the world, I suppose," said Aang easily as we watched Zuko prepare for his speech to the capitol announcing his reign as Fire Lord. "I'm a nomad. That's what Nomads do. What about you?"

"I'm going to go home," I said resignedly. "I think by now my father understands I don't need protecting."

"Yeah," said Aang absent minded-ly. He gazed at Zuko idly as the firebender pulled on layers of armor. "Maybe we'll meet again sometime."

"Sometime soon," I agreed.

And that was the end of that.


End file.
